8 legs and 2 arms 😳That’s what a lot of people see the first time they look at a tarantula.It isn’t 10 legs.Tarantulas (and all spiders) have 8 walking legs.

8 legs and 2 arms 😳That’s what a lot of people see the first time they look at a tarantula.It isn’t 10 legs.Tarantulas (and all spiders) have 8 walking legs. The two extra appendages at the front are pedipalps.They look like shorter, slightly thicker legs, which is why the count jumps to 10 at first glance.Pedipalps are not used for walking.They work more like hands:•sensing the environment•handling prey•in adult males, transferring sperm during matingFrom above, especially when the spider is spread out, those two front “arms” line up so neatly with the real legs that the illusion is almost perfect.So the correct count is:8 legs + 2 pedipalps = the 10-legged look.Nature’s little optical trick.Science and facts💡